By the Rev. A. C. Smith. 



109 



Collecting then our information from these and all other available 

 sources, let us now suppose the Phoenician mariner, visiting this 

 country, say B.C. 500 : and let us imagine for the moment that he 

 penetrated thus far inland, though we are aware that he generally 

 confined his visits to the coast : what aspect had this country at 

 that period, and what appearance would these downs, and the 

 neighbouring vallies, and the inhabitants present ? 



In the first place, though the position of the downs and vallies 1 

 was the same as at present, the very face of the country, and con- 

 sequently the climate were somewhat different from what they are 

 now. The greater part of the land at that period, and even for 

 centuries afterwards, continued in its native state of heath, forest 

 and morass : 2 so vast and apparently interminable were these 

 forests, that the whole island was said to be " horrida silvis," and 

 some of these woods were of such immense extent, as to have in a 

 manner covered whole districts. Other parts of Britain were full 

 of bogs and marshes, or covered with standing waters ; and so 

 extensive were these tracts, that wood and water are said to have 

 divided the land between them. Thus, to speak generally, the 

 vallies and plains were all either inundated with water, or bristling 

 with wood ; while the hills and downs alone stretched a broad and 

 dry expanse, inviting to the settler. Such an expanse of morass 

 and forest, must necessarily have had an effect on the climate ; 

 which, though milder than that of Gaul, and the cold not so intense 

 (as we learn from Caesar,) 3 and though moderately warm in sum- 

 mer, and not excessively cold in winter, was much more rainy, 

 damp and cloudy than at present : for in proportion as the land 



1 Henry's History of England, vol. ii., chap, vii., p. 279. 



2 Humes History of England, chap. i. 

 Henry's History of England, vol. i., 3, p. 290. 

 Sharon Turner's History of England, vol. i., p. 67. 



3 " Loca sunt temperatiora, quam in Gallia, remissioribus frigoribus." [Csesar 

 Comment: de Bell: Gall: lib. v,, cap. 12.] 



"Coelum crebris imbribus ac nebulis fsedum: asperitas frigorum abest." 

 [Tacitus vita Agricol: cap. xii.] 



Speed's Historie of Great Britain, p. 3. 



Henry's History of England, vol. ii., chap, vii., p. 279. 



